School is closing early at most Tauranga primary and intermediate schools tomorrow as the primary teacher's union steps up its campaign against proposed education reforms.

New Zealand Education Institute (NZEI) Bay of Plenty field officer Rachel Chater is expecting up to 500 teachers to take part in its paid union meeting at Merivale School on Wednesday, which follows meetings in Te Puna on Tuesday and Te Puke on Monday.

Schools will be closing early tomorrow to allow for teachers union meetings.

Rachel apologised for the impact school time union meetings had on families, but says the union chose to have the meetings at this time to emphasis its opposition to the reforms it says will penalise children, and lead to poorer education.

'Teachers never want to inconvenience parents, it's the last thing we want to do.”

Rachel says union members unanimously rejected the Government's current collective agreement offer at its Te Puke, Whakatane and Opotoki meetings, due to reforms and conditions included in the offer.

'Teachers aren't doing this (rejecting the offer) for money, we are really fighting to protect our world class education system.”

The meetings are part of a series taking place around the country and follow a series of flash mob protests put on by a group of teachers around Tauranga and Te Puke aimed at increasing awareness about the proposed reforms.

The NZEI is campaigning against large class sizes, introducing league tables, performance pay for teachers, reforms to the board of trustees model and charter schools – which Rachel says international research has shown cut the quality of education.

NZEI national president Ian Leckie is speaking at the Merivale meeting on Wednesday.